Beer Cheese Fondue

Ingredients:

• 4 cups shredded cheese* (Gruyere, Emmenthaler, raclette, cheddar or other good melting cheese) 
• 1/4 cup flour (substitute with corn starch) 
• 1 cup flavorful, low bitterness beer** 
• 1/3 cup heavy cream (fresh, at room temperature) 
• grated garlic or onion (to taste, optional) 
• fresh or dry herbs (to taste)

BEST BEER STYLES TO USE FOR CHEESE FONDUE

Styles with low bitterness, bready/biscuity notes and herbal, earthy aromas (Noble hops or traditional English varieties) make the best candidates to use. To that end we recommend:

• Pilsner lagers (like Bohemian (Czech) and Munich Helles)
• Dunkel and bock lagers
• Doppelbock lagers (especially well suited with more aged cheeses)
• Saisons and strong Belgian ales (nothing sour)
• Wheat ales, especially if fermented with clean American yeast (not fruit flavored of course and nothing sour)
• English pale ales, English mild
• Amber and brown ales (low bitterness, mostly aroma hops)

Avoid sour beers (including kettle sours) as their higher acidity may cause the heavy cream to curdle, especially if it is not fresh heavy cream and has already began to sour in the carton.

Directions:

Step 1. To start – shred enough cheese to have about four cups worth. Coat it well with flour (this will facilitate the melting process). Set aside.

Step 2. Next, pour the beer into a cold pot, turn the heat to medium and bring to simmer to cook off the alcohol. After the beer has simmered for a couple of minutes, add the cream and simmer for a few more minutes.

TIPS: 1. If you add beer to a hot pan/pot it will foam excessively. 2. If you’d like to add a bit of grated garlic or grated onion and/or any dry or fresh herbs such as picked fresh thyme leaves, add them to the beer to infuse with their flavor.

Step 3. Remove the pan from the heat and fold in the cheese in batches while gently stirring. Once all the cheese has melted, transfer to a pre-heated fondue pot, taste and if needed season with salt & pepper, then serve.


WHAT TO DO IF YOUR BEER CHEESE FONDUE BREAKS

If your beer cheese sauce breaks (most likely due to adding cold cheese to too hot of a liquid base) you might end up with clumps. This is easy to fix!

Simply use an immersion blender or transfer the entire broken mess into a blender and process it until no more clumps are visible. Strain and add a few tablespoons of cream to the cheese sauce and warm it up over very gentle heat while stirring.

Chocolate Fondue

 

Ingredients

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 pound premium semisweet chocolate (recommended: Lindt or Callebaut)
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract (I used Coffee Extract)
• 1 tablespoon brandy
• Strawberries, bananas, pineapple, brownies, marshmallows, cookies or any other dipping item of your choice

Directions

Special equipment:

• 1 saucepan 
• 1 mixing bowl (that will sit on top of saucepan) 
• Measuring cup 
• Measuring spoons 
• Whisk Fondue serving set 
• Fondue skewers 

1. Put approximately 4 inches of water in the saucepan and bring to a slow boil. Place the mixing bowl on top and pour in the heavy cream; let heat. Meanwhile, break up or chop chocolate into small pieces. When the cream feels hot to the touch, add chocolate and whisk until smooth. Whisk in vanilla and brandy. 

2. Pour into the fondue pot and light the handy fuel underneath; keep the flame low as not to burn the fondue. Arrange strawberries, bananas, pineapple, brownies, marshmallow, cookies or any of your favorite items on a platter and enjoy.

Creamy Cilantro Lime Chicken

This Creamy Cilantro Lime Chicken is an easy low carb and gluten free meal perfect for any night of the week. Serve with some roasted veggies and rice for a complete meal!

Course: Main 

Cuisine: Mexican 

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 320 kcal

Original Author: Isabel Eats

Ingredients

• 4 6-ounce boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup diced yellow onions
• 1 4-ounce can diced green chiles
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Use a meat tenderizer to pound out the breasts until they're all the same thickness. Season chicken with salt and pepper.

2. In a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat, add olive oil. Place chicken breasts in skillet and cook for 5 minutes on each side, or until both sides are browned.

3. Place skillet in oven and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until chicken is fully cooked through and the internal temperature has reached 165 degrees F.

4. Remove the skillet from the oven and transfer the cooked chicken to a large plate. Cover with foil to keep warm.

5. Place the same hot skillet over medium heat and add the onions. Cook for 2 minutes, scraping the bottom of the skillet to get the brown bits off the pan. The skillet should still be very hot so be careful.

6. Add the green chiles and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth, lime juice, cumin, oregano and coriander.

7. Mix together and bring to a gentle boil for 10 minutes or until liquid has greatly reduced.

8. Remove the skillet from the heat and mix in the cream and cilantro. Place the cooked chicken in the sauce and serve.

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Nutrition Facts

Creamy Cilantro Lime Chicken

Amount Per Serving (1 /4th of recipe)

Calories 320Calories from Fat 162

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 18g28%

Saturated Fat 6g30%

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 8g

Cholesterol 112mg37%

Potassium 370mg11%

Total Carbohydrates 4g1%

Sugars 2g

Protein 35g70%

Vitamin A9%

Vitamin C15%

Calcium5%

Iron9%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Chocolate Cherry Chip Ice Cream

Ingredients

3/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
pinch salt
1 cup whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 c Black Cherries, chopped (I used a bag of frozen, black cherries that were already pitted)

1 Hershey Chocolate bar, chopped

Instructions

In a medium bowl, whisk together the cocoa, sugars and salt. Add the milk and, using a hand mixer on low speed or a whisk, beat to combine until the cocoa, sugars and salt are dissolved. Stir in the heavy cream and vanilla. Pour the mixture into the ice cream maker and let mix until thickened, about 15 to 20 minutes. I added the cherries and chocolate chips with about 5 minutes left. The ice cream will have a soft, creamy texture. If a firmer consistency is desired, transfer the ice cream to an airtight container and place in freezer for about 2 hours. 

Notes

Adapted from https://www.cuisinart.com/recipes/desserts/6006.html